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by gay_as_heck



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, I'm still not over it, It was beautiful, shows up late to fics of the reunion scene with shitty fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-22
Updated: 2014-10-22
Packaged: 2018-02-22 05:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2495585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_as_heck/pseuds/gay_as_heck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No matter what happened between now and the end, with Carol by his side, he was home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home

He heard a rustle to his left and whipped his head around, dreading coming face to face with one of those crazies from terminus.

 _It’s her._ He couldn’t believe his eyes.

She looked tired, dirty, worn out, but it was _her._

He was running to her before he even realized his feet were moving, and grabbed her tightly, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her off the forest floor slightly while she rested her arms on his shoulders. He buried his face in her shoulder, his breath coming out in embarrassing little huffs.

“Oh my god,” he gasped. She giggled, her mouth pressed against his shoulder, as he lifted her higher and set her back down. He rocked from foot to foot, curling over to get as close to her as possible, wrapping his hand around the back of her head briefly, reassuring himself that yes, she was here, intact, alive, her heart thumping solidly against his chest. He walked forward and she clutched him tightly, doing a sort of awkward dance, nearly tripping Carol, gasping heavily as he kept them both upright.

She breathed out shakily and gently pushed him away, smiling up at him softly. His heart beat rapidly, his mind repeating a mantra of _It’s her, she’s ok, she’s alive, she’s here._ She slid her arms down his shoulders, and he tried his damned hardest to smile back at her, but he just couldn’t. He felt too shaky to do anything but look at her. His lungs were working hard to keep him breathing, his eyes were taking in her every movement. Tears threatened to well over as emotion overcame him, and he closed his eyes tightly as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing against the softness of her skin.

 _She’s here,_ he thought as she placed her hands on his neck. He lifted his head, wanting to see her face again, to make sure it really, truly was her. She slowly dropped her hands from his neck and covered her mouth with her hands. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, _Where in the hell were you? How did you find us? I missed you_ but then quiet footsteps approached and when he glanced back quickly Rick was suddenly there. He looked back at Carol, unsure of whether he was invited to listen to their conversation, but unwilling to let Carol out of his sight for even a second. He took a few steps away but quickly came closer when he heard Rick say, “Did you do that?”

Carol wasn’t leaving him, not again, he wasn’t gonna let that happen. When Carol and Rick embraced, he let out a huff of relief. She wasn’t going away. She was staying here, she was going to be here when Daryl fell asleep and here when he woke up and there was no way in hell she was leaving again. He didn’t take his eyes off her, he couldn’t. He feared that if he took his eyes off of her for even one moment, she’d disappear without saying goodbye. Tears welled in his eyes again as his lips quivered.

Carol and Rick broke their hug, and Carol whispered urgently, “You have to come with me.” She turned, walking the opposite direction they came from, and Daryl ran to catch up to her, unwilling to let her get too far away from him.

The group walked in a comfortable silence, walking up a hill when they came upon a house, with Tyreese and little ass kicker coming out of the door. When Tyreese and Sasha embraced while the Grimes family reunited, he knew that, somehow, everything was going to end up ok. They were all going to be ok, no matter where they went, as long as they were together.

 


End file.
